August is Craft Beer Month in Virginia

RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia is kicking off its second annual craft beer month.

Events throughout the state during August at breweries, restaurants and hotels to celebrate Virginia’s more than 60 craft breweries.

The centerpiece of the celebration is the Virginia Craft Brewers Festival, which features the Virginia Craft Brewers Cup. The event is scheduled for Aug. 24 at Devils Backbone Brewery in Nelson County.

Tourism officials say the craft beer industry already has made an impressive impact on the state’s economy thanks to recent changes in state law.

A National Beer Wholesalers Association and the Beer Institute study shows that the beer industry generates nearly 52,000 jobs in Virginia. That’s $2.2 billion in wages and benefits. The industry also contributed $1.3 billion in the form of business, personal and consumption taxes in 2012.